Lt Brahma roo, and more Brahma questions (pics) LONG post

[Chickybaby]

Nice to see fellow Brahma fans here. My teens (I have 8 11 wk old Lt Brahmas) are HUGE, and really beautiful birds. I've got a questions about roosters, though. I ended up with 2, the first one I suspected was a roo early on and the second one surprised me a few weeks ago. The first one seems to be maturing MUCH more slowly than the other. His comb and wattles seem to change colors, going from pale yellow/orange to a darker more red shade several times a day. Is this something Brahmas do or is he strange? The other one (Roo Magoo is his name) turned red around his eyes and comb, then wattles developed and he stays red all the time. Here's a pic of him:

He's rather lazy, but a really nice fellow (eating laying down!)

Another question is about color, or which is more desirable - more white or more black? I've got a few that have quite a bit of black, and a couple (I call them The Twins) that are mostly white across their backs (they are marked nearly identical). And one, Fuzzworth, is grey across her rump. The others are all white under their tails.

This is Fuzzworth in the center. She's also a little smaller than the rest.

This was taken before they moved out to the coop, but you can see the ones that are more white.

And these are newer pics:

And one last question... I've got one pullet (Snuggle Chicken) that seems to like to be alone. She has figured out a way to squeeze through the fence (the openings are 3 x 4 inches and noone else can do it!) and she stays in the pasture with the horse nearly all day. If she gets hot or thirsty she'll squeeze back through and go in the coop, and she goes back in at dusk to roost with everyone else. But most of the time she doesn't care what the others are doing or where they are. She is very friendly and used to love to be held, before she went out to the coop. Is it okay for her to be alone most of the time, or is something wrong? She seems okay, eats and drinks fine and all. I'm probalby worried about nothing!

I'll try to get some pics of the first roo, the one that changes colors, this afternoon. And I'll also post some of my new Brahmas - I got 5 Darks and 5 Buffs a week or so ago, they will be 3 wks old tomorrow and growing FAST! I just LOVE these Brahmas!

 

[gritsar]

I'm going to try to answer some of your questions. I'm no brahma expert, but I do love my brahmas and read anything and everything I can about them; as well as observing mine every free minute I have.
My dark roo and my light roo (same age) are developing very differently, with the light roo being way ahead of the dark. I had to agonize over which roos to keep and I kept the dark roo over a buff because of the dark's excellent foot feathering. Now I wish I'd kept the buff because although the dark does have the foot feathering, I'm not to keen on his overall look. As for the comb changing color, it's my understanding that the comb is also a way for the chicken to release heat from their bodies; just like us humans lose it thru the top of our heads and feet. I have two hens whose combs turned cherry red after getting overheated in a pile up and their combs have remained darker than any of the other hens.
I have a "loner chick" as well. I think as long as she's eating and drinking normally and not showing any signs of illness, you just have to chalk it up to different personalities. I take it she's an accepted member of the flock? I had the opportunity to watch 2 to 3 year old human peeps at a b-day party the other day. In that group there were leaders, followers, and one loner child that was quite content to be off by himself digging in the dirt with a stick. Animals are the same way. Ever observe a litter of puppies?
I wish you continued good luck with your brahma flock. Brahmas are the best!

 

[AtRendeAcres]

As a rule you want more white than black!
You will have to wait till a little older to see where they stand with the standard!

Did you get them to show?
Where did you get them?

I love Brahmas

Their personality!
Their look!

I too will read anything that has to do with Brahmas!!

 

[Tuffoldhen]

This is what your wanting ..lots of white with black around neck, wings and tail...Brahmas mature very slowly some slower than others...

Ditto on what gritstar says around the comb color changing during the day..

I have a acouple Orpingtons that like being alone..they just go their separate ways from the rest of the flock...